


Mutterings and Murmurs

by SoulsForYourSoup



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 8th year drarry, Draco Malfoy - Freeform, Drarry, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Harry Potter - Freeform, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Not Epilogue Compliant, One Shot, Post-Hogwarts, Post-Hogwarts AU, Protective Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 16:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20342890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulsForYourSoup/pseuds/SoulsForYourSoup
Summary: Harry hears some rumours and has to confirm with the source material





	Mutterings and Murmurs

“Have you heard?”

“What?”

“About Malfoy?”

“Yeah? What about him?”

“That his Mum died in a muggle car accident,”

Whispers floated throughout the Gryffindor table during breakfast not even two months into school. Feeding off the juicy gossip. Usually, it was harmless, ‘Oh, did you see Hannah’s new haircut? I think she took off a bit too much’ But the more scandalous the more likely for it to be discussed, embellished, overshared, and for details to get extenuated with each retelling.

“Seriously? Didn’t his Dad get the kiss a couple of months ago?”

“Serves them right. Karma and all. What goes around comes around.”

“How did a witch even get killed in a muggle accident anyway?”

“According to the prophet, apparently she was crossing the street in Muggle London and a Muggle car got her. They called it a hit and run.”

It tended to draw in controversial opinions and the people who normally stayed on the sidelines unproblematically. Everyone suddenly feels the need to put in their two cents. No one seems to care if it’s a sensitive topic or personal matter. Especially if they don’t feel it’s of any consequence to be polite or not when it's about someone they strongly dislike or feel doesn’t deserve the courtesy.

“What was a Death Eater even doing with Muggles? Aren’t they like super prejudice and racist?”

Harry tuned them out. Choosing to stare at the ripples in his coffee he was making while he stirred just a tad too aggressively for someone who didn’t even put cream or sugar in.

After the war, Harry and Malfoy had come to better terms. Both had floundered but eventually made their way through apologies and condolences. Naturally, all with the grace and poise of flamingos trying to walk through knee-high snow.  
They had run into each other in a muggle cafe. Both attempting to escape the magical world for two surprisingly similar reasons. But had found their mission was in vain anyway seeing they still managed to run into one another.

They had ended up frequenting the cafe, grabbing a coffee whilst definitely not hoping to run into the other. Eventually, without the animosity of the wizarding world, Harry was pleasantly surprised to find they were somehow able to get along to a manageable degree.

Somewhere along the line they somehow began considering themselves friendly. Months later they had still yet to put a label on their relationship but Harry imagined they were a bit too friendly with each other to consider themselves simply friends. Nothing had been formally discussed though.

“-foy’s probably got something coming to him too you know. Something had it out for his parents. Only a matter of time now before something comes back to him too.”

Harry’s coffee slopped. The whispers dribbled into Harry’s ears regardless of how hard he was trying to block them out. He let out a weighted sigh, grabbing a napkin to sop up the mess. Not trusting himself with his spoon anymore he set it down on the table.

He wanted to say something, anything really, to make them shut up about Malfoy’s business. He wasn’t about to defend the parental unit. But Malfoy didn’t deserve rumours spreading about the creative ways he was gonna bite it.

He also knew that Malfoy would prefer him to just leave it be. So Harry was going to not get involved. He was going to sit quietly and not do anything. Right. Not gonna do anything.

So he vigorously buttered a slice of toast instead. And if he left crumbs in the butter despite knowing it was uncouth, that was his business.

“Where do you think the ferret is hiding out anyway? The guy’s probably too embarrassed that his mum kicked it in such a muggle way.”

Harry abruptly stood, the bench scraping loudly as it got pushed out. Suddenly he found the strong urge to head to Transfiguration almost 45 minutes early.

“Oi! You alright, mate?”

Ron blinked up at him from around his monstrous breakfast sandwich.

“Yeah. I’m fine, thanks,”

Ron’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “Well if you're sure...” He trailed off leaving it open-ended.

Harry nodded giving a brisk wave to his classmates before swiftly making his exit. He quickly strode to his first class, keeping his eyes to the walls. He did an excellent job of not making eye contact with anyone who might feel inspired to talk to the Saviour.

Finally, he reached the Transfiguration classroom without any major issues. Only Peeves harassing second year Ravenclaws. But what else is new?

Standing behind his desk was the subject of this morning's drama. Harry was a bit unsure about how to deal with the situation but decided to approach him anyway. He let his messenger bag slide off his arm to gently thud on the floor by his spot before going up behind Malfoy.

His back was hunched over as he leaned on the desk in front of him, hands gripping the sides of the tabletop. Harry watched the hair in front of his eyes shift with every inhale and exhale.

A small sympathetic smile tugged at Harry’s lips. When he reached him, Harry leaned forward wrapping his arms around the blond’s slender waist, pulling himself forward to curve with Malfoy’s hunched figure.

Harry felt Malfoy tense briefly underneath him.

“I heard. I’m sorry.”

Recognizing his voice, Malfoy slumped further, almost melting into Harry. Succumbing to the warm sympathies offered.

The blond shook his head, “-T’s not your fault.”

Harry tilted his head up, pressing a warm brush of lips to the nape of his neck.

“I know.” He murmured softly.

Draco turned around gently to face Harry carefully not breaking the hug before returning it, burying his face in the black-haired boy’s shoulder.

“I don’t even like her. I don’t know why…. why it hurts so much?” His voice cracked.

Harry made gentle soothing noises.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. You’re allowed to be sad about it. Just because you don’t like her you’re still allowed to miss her and be sad she’s gone.”

Draco’s shoulders shuddered. “I know, but I still feel bad for feeling bad. She wasn’t a good person but I … but I still…”

Harry lifted a hand to gently sift through his hair.

“I know. I know. It’s okay,”

Harry tilted his head to rest it on the taller boy’s hair.

“They’re fucking rude. I know they were terrible. I know we deserve it… but it’s still not enjoyable to hear about it,” he trailed off.

Harry pressed a gentle kiss into his soft hair.

“You don’t deserve it and you shouldn’t have to listen to it either”

Draco let out a huffy sigh. “Doesn’t seem to matter. I’m still hearing it.”

“So ignore them.”

Harry sensed Draco’s eye roll more that he felt it. “Right, because I definitely haven’t been doing that already.”

A smile tugged at Harry’s lips as he shrugged. “We could get you earplugs.”

Draco shook his head fiercely, “Eww no. They’d look hideous.”

“Eh. Probably.”

Draco scoffed leaning back to look at Harry, “No, you prat. You’re supposed to say, ‘No, Draco! You’d look great anyway!’ or ‘Anything you wear looks good on you, Draco!’ Asshole. ‘Eh. Probably.’” Draco mimicked Harry, changing his voice up and down.  
Harry let out a snort, leaning forward to softly kiss Draco’s temple.

“I am so sorry. Anything you wear makes you look good, Draco.”

Draco stepped back mock offended, swatting Harry’s shoulder.

Harry laughed, “Noo! Come back... I’m sorry Draco! You look lovely!”

He reached forward and grabbed Draco’s hand, pressing a kiss into his palm. Draco rolled his eyes with a scoff.

“Oh, so now I’m lovely. I see how it is.”

“Do you now?”

“I think so.”

Harry hummed, “Mmhmm. Then you know you smell amazing, yeah?”

Draco let out a snort. A grin pulling at his lips, “Seriously, Potter? That’s the best you could do?”

“Eh, I think it was at least an eleven out of ten.” He shrugged.

“Eleven?! Like maybe a two.” He held up his hand counting the score with his fingers.

“Only a two?! So harsh.” Harry pressed a hand to his chest as if mortally wounded.

“You had it coming.”

“Probably.”

Draco leaned over to boop Harry’s nose. “Again with the probably. ‘Thought you’d learned your lesson already.”

He smirked. “Guess not well enough.”

A sharp ring chimed through the classroom interrupting anything that might have been said.

Draco smiled prettily at his companion. “Sit with me?”  
Harry returned his smile, “Of course.”

Draco’s smile took on a bit of a relieved note to it before taking his seat while Harry moved his bag to the seat next to the blond.

They sat in relaxed silence while the rest of their class slowly filtered in. The whispers from the Great Hall followed them but quieted with Draco in such obvious earshot. McGonagall joining them obviously helped quell them too. The mutterings that did drift over caused Draco to tense slightly but he gave no outward reaction.

Harry would let his hand hang down to gently brush with Draco’s when the lesson started and everyone got distracted again. New whispers came with the Chosen One sitting with the Ex Death Eater in class. It was definitely more entertaining and juicer amongst gossip circles than the death of a Malfoy. Thankfully it dominated over the morning’s breakfast drama.

Harry was pleased to note Draco gradually relaxed into the poise of the Malfoy Heir, no longer letting himself be bothered by the murmurings reminding him of his inner turmoil. The class passed smoothly with barely a hitch and the rumours eventually dialed down to the usual levels of bullshit.

Over the next few weeks no one brought up Malfoy’s mother to him. Neither Harry nor Draco mentioned their conversation. Except for maybe Harry’s abysmal complement scores.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave a comment


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